New Horizons
by BonesBird
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi are the main featured couple. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections. Archer/Hernandez chapters transfered to "Of Song and Story"
1. The Glory Of Love

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: The Glory Of Love - Peter Cetera/New Found Glory**

**So, once I wrote more than 5 Drabbles I decided it was time to start posting my Enterprise drabbles. They are mostly Trip/Hoshi, though there are a few Erika/Jonathan ones too, and probably a few friendship pieces for the other characters as well. Much thanks to DrToilette for the title.**

**This first Drabble is set during "Observer Effect". It was pretty close to the wire for a 500 word Drabble.**

* * *

_**I am the man who will fight for your honour  
**__**I'll be the hero that you're dreaming of  
**__**Gonna live forever knowing together  
**__**That we did it all for the glory of love**_

She knew that this was bad. She'd known that from the minute they'd got back to Enterprise, and she wanted to try and keep her spirits up. Trip had tried as well, but she knew he was struggling as much as she was. She looked over at him and thought about his name. It had been something she'd always wanted to ask, but never really had the opportunity. "You know, you never explained your nickname?"

"Most of you all just called me Commander" he looked up, pushing himself up from lying on the bunk to be on her level. Even while he was obviously as sick as she felt, he did a better job at looking like he could hold himself up. "You look cold" he held out one of the blankets he'd put on the end of his bunk.

"I am" she suddenly realised, and accepted his offer before thinking again for a second, and taking a sip of the water "I call you Trip when we're not on duty. So come on, what does it mean" he slid onto the bunk next to her, resting his hand on her knee before answering.

"My mom started it, I'm the third Charles Tucker, triple, trip... That was her reasoning anyway" he smiled a little as he shrugged "I never got another reason for it, and I liked it. So I've always used it"

"It suits you" she smiled, looking down at her feet, then back up at him, suddenly afraid of what was going on around them, outside of decon. Wondering how the ship was fairing, how the rest of the crew was adjusting to their predicament. "How long do you think we've been in here?"

"An hour, maybe two"

"Are you afraid?" she almost whispered, he looked at her for a minute with a look she couldn't quite decipher, before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. She felt his heart pounding under the head she laid on his chest, but she felt safe and protected, for one last minute.

"I'm sure the doc can find us a cure" She felt more than heard his words, the vibration through his chest, and the tap of his chin on the top of her head. The two combining to tell her the story of his words. She pulled back just a little, far enough that she could look in his eyes as she asked her next question.

"How can you be so sure?"

"We've been in a worse situation than this. We'll be OK" he smiled that easy, reassuring smile, and pulled her close again. She felt him gently kiss the top of her head, and he rocked her. Making her calm, helping her feel a little better for just a minute.


	2. Almost

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: Almost - Bowling For Soup**

**This was set during Trip's time on the NX-02.**

* * *

_**And here I go thinking about all the things I could have done  
**__**I'm gonna need a forklift coz all the baggage weighs a tonne  
**__**I know we've had our problems, I can't remember one  
**__**I almost forgot to say something else, and if I can't fit it in I'll keep it all to myself  
**__**I almost wrote a song about you today, but I tore it all up and then I threw it away**_

He had spoken to her about the transfer, and she knew his reasons, understood his reasons. She'd known about he and T'Pol probably before anyone else, and she knew that whatever was going on between the two of them now, he was still trying to get over her, and she still had the ghosts of the Xindi to fight.

That didn't stop her missing him, wishing she could speak to him right now. He had called her straight away after the attack, and she had cried to him about how guilty she had felt, about how she wished she'd managed to fight his kidnappers off. He had told her it wasn't her fault.

She had written another letter since Enterprise had left, but she'd thrown it away. Too much baggage for her to try and wrap her head around. Everything that she'd forgotten to say to him was filed away in the back of her head, ready to tell him next time.

The surprise she felt when she got a message through, and she smiled at his face again as it filled her screen. "Hoshi, I'm sorry I was pulled away, and then I missed Enterprise leaving. Keep your chin up, things will be OK. I'll see you soon."

With that short message, she felt better, more able to play her part in the mission to save Phlox. That was what she had to focus on now.


	3. Hit Or Miss

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: Hit Or Miss (Waited Too Long) by New Found Glory**

**An Archer/Hernandez drabble. Because I love them! Ship so hard!  
**

**Just a message to the anon reviewer "Toka". Thanks for reading, but seriously. If you don't see a pairing, why read the fanfic? *facepalm***

* * *

_**No more long rides home  
**__**No more of your station  
**__**I didn't like it anyway  
**__**Remember the time we wrote our names up on the wall  
**__**Remember the time we realised "Thriller" was our favourite song**_

On and off for years, that's what they'd been. During the good times, things had been good. The bad times, they hadn't spoken. This time had been different.

They'd never been open about what went on between them with others. They were the only two Captains' of NX class ships, there was a lot riding on them. So, they said nothing. It was just the two of them, nobody else needed to know.

Travelling together for this mission. Enterprise and Columbia travelling together, searching together, had been something special for her, and she knew it had been for him too. They had spoken about it, laid in his quarters, quietly. They had learnt discretion over their relationship, and this had been the time for them.

She would miss being so close to him, being able to talk every day, privately. Being able to see each other regularly. But this was the job. She remembered everything. The lake in New Zealand, the mountain climbing when Jon had last been home. Each of them were her favourite memories, and she'd think about them when she needed reminding why they were out here.

They were married to Starfleet, both of them. That was the relationship that came first. She could handle being second.

Now she knew he was OK, she had her own mission to get on with. But they'd see each other again soon.


	4. Just Like

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: Just Like Jesse James - Cher**

**Another short little one from PA's pick of song!**

* * *

_**You break the laws of love in the name of desire  
**__**Take ten steps back 'cause I'm ready baby, aim and fire  
**__**Baby, there's no way you gonna run tonight**_

He grabbed hold of her before she made her escape again. They had been dancing around their feelings for as long as he could remember, there were so many things he wanted to happen with her, but she knew better than anyone that relationships on a ship like this wouldn't work.

They really were on the final frontier, and to him that was why they needed to take a chance. There wasn't always the opportunity that they would make it another day. He just held her arm lightly, she didn't try to walk away again. But she didn't look at him either.

"This isn't wrong, it's not wrong" he whispered as he pulled her into his arms and leant his forehead against hers "Just let it happen." He smiled at her a little then lifted her chin and laid a light kiss on her lips. He smiled as she pulled him back to her a second later. They broke the rules for a reason this time.


	5. We Are Broken

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: We Are Broken - Paramore**

**This one was kind of inspired by the events of "Minefield" and the time Trip and Phlox argued about his sleeping.**

* * *

_**We are broken  
**__**What must we do to restore  
**__**Our innocence  
**__**And all the promise we adored  
**__**Give us life again  
**_'_**Coz we just wanna be whole**_

There were so many systems to repair, so many hull breaches to patch, yet once again he couldn't even keep his eyes open. He fought against his own fatigue, but he knew in the end it wouldn't do him any good. If he could just finish aligning this power conduit he could hand off a finished job to his staff and go and eat, and drink enough caffeine to keep him up through Alpha shift.

"How long since you last ate or slept?" Came a voice from the bottom of the platform. He was so tired he couldn't even tell who had spoken until she tapped his ankle. "How long?"

"Probably too long" he admitted to her as he slid down the ladder, and almost clattered to the floor, had she not caught him.

"This isn't healthy, for you or the ship." She gently admonished him, "she needs an engineer who is awake." Hoshi let him go, and he smiled at her for a minute then looked back at his engine before handing off some orders to his staff.

"We need to get going again. Restore the systems, restore the mission" he joked to her while attempting to stifle a yawn before he walked into a wall. Hoshi sprung forward again and wrapped an arm lightly around his middle, guiding him towards the doorway before letting him go again and clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

"How you gonna restore anything if you can't even stand up? Let's get you to bed." She almost laughed as he stifled another yawn, and he couldn't be bothered arguing with her. She only wanted what was best for him, and maybe he should listen to someone else for once.

"I actually agree for once. Did you just come down here to check on me?" He looked at her, and felt a grin grace his own cheeks as she flushed red, the colour rushing up her cheeks.

"Yes" she said simply, pushing him through the door and laughing as he lead the way towards his quarters. Sleep really wasn't such a bad idea after all.


	6. See Ya

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: See Ya - Atomic Kitten**

**This one was kind of inspired by the events of "Minefield" and the time Trip and Phlox argued about his sleeping.**

* * *

_**So baby see ya alright  
**__**Wouldn't want to be ya tonight  
**__**Let me make clear alright  
**__**You're not the one for me yeah**_

She sat brooding. Long-distance relationships never worked, she knew that, but she still found the Dear John letter she had received in bad taste. She was out on a mission, and apparently that wasn't a good enough reason for him to wait for her. It was probably better in the long term, she didn't need to have a guy who was cheating on her while she was away. She spooned another lump of the ice-cream onto her spoon, ignoring the world around her until a quiet voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Do I want to know?"

"What?" She asked, rejoining the ship and looking up into his concerned blue eyes. She shook her head, trying to focus a little more, he pulled out the chair next to her and put his drink down, putting his hand on hers in a comforting gesture.

"The ice cream. Do I want to know why?"

"Probably not" she admitted. Spooning another lump and letting it's sugary flavour take over her senses for a minute. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. He was right, he wouldn't want to know, but she really wanted to talk about it to someone who cared.

"Do you want to tell me anyway?" he prodded a minute later, taking a sip of his drink and watching her again, in the way he had where she felt she was the only person that mattered in the universe.

"Sam and I broke up" she sighed a minute later. He squeezed her hand and gave her a look of complete sympathy. She took another bite of her ice-cream and savoured the slight pain in her teeth before finishing the only way she could think "So I'm drowning myself in ice cream."

He watched her for a few seconds longer then shuffled closer to her "his loss. Share?" he asked, she nodded with a grin, and listened as he spoke about an upgrade he wanted her opinion on. She suddenly felt better. It was all his loss, and she wouldn't want to be him, missing out on her.


	7. It's Not Your Fault

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: It's Not Your Fault - New Found Glory**

**This was a really random drabble to write, because I was in both a T/H and a J/E mood. So this is both of them, and it is just below 500 words. Honest.**

* * *

_**There were rapid statements  
**__**About life commitments  
**__**A sense of heat that I couldn't bear to touch  
**__**It's not your fault so please stop your crying now**_

She tried to dry her eyes again, the sleeves of her uniform. Today was not the day to cry, she knew that, but still she did. "I'm not ready to do this" she whispered, and her companion turned to her, lifting her chin and wiping under her eyes with his equally dirty uniform sleeve before he smiled at her.

"Sure you are" he muttered, before giving her a gentle kiss. He took a step back and smiled at her again, looking up the aisle of the makeshift reception room. His behaviour just made her feel more nervous. She fought her sudden urge to slap him away from the door, so he'd stop acting like a meerkat do see further into the room. As she looked around again she stifled another sniffle, getting his attention again. He pulled her into his arms and whispered "None of that was your fault."

"If I'd got that translation a little faster, we'd have been here on time, and he wouldn't be getting married in a dirty uniform" she moaned, even as she held onto him tighter, needing his support for just a moment longer.

"I think Travis took him to change. He asked you to read the blessing. It's an honour" He kissed her cheek before pulling away again. She heard the coughs, and saw the invited guests beginning to take their seats in the hall. She started to shake a little, feeling the butterflies flying around her stomach.

"I hate nerves" she muttered again as they watched their crewmates run past them down the aisle, skidding to a halt and into their seats.

"It'll be fine" he said again in a calm and measured voice, taking her hand in his and pulling her gently towards the door. "Come on, let's sit down before we get run over by the bride" he smiled, and she allowed herself to be tugged down the aisle and onto the front bench, alongside Travis and Phlox, who were talking in hushed tones. Hoshi leant in to Trip and whispered again.

"She's going to kill me"

"She's Starfleet too, she'll understand" he just grinned at her, and as the music started, it didn't matter that the crew of the Enterprise were battle damaged and worse for wear. She watched their captain's smile light up the room, as the woman he had chosen to marry walked down the aisle to meet him. In that moment she knew that it didn't matter what they were wearing, just that they were there.


	8. Give Me Novacaine

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: Give Me Novacaine - Green Day**

**Because this is about as close to fluff as I can write for Jon and Erika!**

**ByaSouthernLady - turn your PMs back on! I miss talking to you!**

* * *

**_Drain the pressure from the swelling  
_****_This sensations' overwhelming  
_****_Give me a long kiss goodnight  
_****_And everything will be alright_**

He looked over at her, and all of a sudden everything came flooding back. All the emotions he had tried to push down and forget over the months and years he'd known her. It had never been worth making this move, changing what they were, from friendship to something more.

But tonight… Tonight they had cheated death, and they had done it together. That counted for something, surely. Maybe that was the sign from the universe that it was time to make the move and take her past what they were now.

He took a few steps over to her and lifted her chin. He could see the look in her eyes, that she was thinking the same as he was. He pulled her to his lips and kissed her as hard as he could, and he knew in that moment that everything changed, but that it would all be alright.


	9. Dear God

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi and Erika/Jonathan are the main featured couples. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections.  
Lyrics: Dear God - What's Eating Gilbert.**

**Another Jon/Erika drabble, this time set around their first break up.**

**I'm writing J/E like crazy right now. So there are a few Drabbles here and it's beginning to get to the point where they are the dominant pairing in this story. Soooooooo changing characters.**

* * *

**_Dear god, if you're not busy right now  
_****_With someone in another town who might need you more  
_****_I ask you to visit her now and tell her it's not OK what she's done  
_****_But you forgave her and she can move on_**

If he was a religious man he'd pray, because right now that was the only way to change what was going on. He would probably lose what he wanted, he knew that. He had to make a choice, the woman he'd fallen in love with, or his career. She just stared out across the bay, towards the bridge that had survived more wars than he could think of. He wrapped his fingers around hers, holding her as tightly as he could here.

While she should be focusing on her own career she wasn't, she was sat there helping him decide his, even knowing that telling him to take the promotion would end them, he'd be her superior officer, and under the rules they lived their lives by, they couldn't be involved. He watched her, she was so still, so quiet

"You should take the promotion. Then you'll be in contention for the test flights" she whispered, still looking away from him, her hand flexed in his, gripping him harder, her action telling a different story from what she was saying.

"I'd be your superior" he muttered, feeling her eyes finally land on him, the dark depths shining with tears she'd probably never shed, at least not where anyone would ever see them. She put on her brave face and smiled lightly.

"It's OK, Jon. We had a good run" with those words he leant towards her and kissed her, as hard as he could, running his free hand through her hair, memorising the moment before he pulled away again, wiping one of the only tears he'd ever seen her shed from beneath her eye.

"I'll miss you" he mumbled, nuzzling into her neck and breathing in her smell. She had made the decision for him, but he was still sorry that he had had to lose one of the things he wanted.

"You'll see me every day" she laughed, the sound sweet against his ear. He leaned back and shook his head, almost chuckling himself. "I'll miss you too" she admitted, a pensive look on her face as he kissed her again.

"We still have tonight right?"

"We still have tonight." She nodded, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to her feet and leading her through the streets of San Francisco. If he only had one more night, he'd make the most of it.


	10. Hand On Your Heart

**Title: New Horizons  
Summary: A selection of drabbles written about the crews of the NX-01 and NX-02. Trip/Hoshi are the main featured couple. Third instalment of "I Have A Story To Tell" and "Whispers" collections. (The Jonathan/Erika chapters have been moved to the story "Of Song and Story")  
Lyrics: Hand On Your Heart - Steps**

**Set post-series**

* * *

**_Hand on your heart  
_****_Heart on your sleeve  
_****_Are you telling me  
_****_When we're apart  
_****_You still believe  
_****_We are meant to be_**

Light-years apart and she wondered if he felt as strongly as she did. His letters told the story of adventures she could imagine, she couldn't be part of. It had been her choice to step down, to leave Starfleet and return to the civilian teaching post she had enjoyed before the whirlwind that had been the last 9 years of her life.

Whenever he came home, or wrote home, he told her that he missed her, that the whole crew missed her. He told her every time that he knew they would get through the distance, because when he came home everything was as it should be. It was the two of them, and everything that meant, their family, and their lives. He was the fleets' most experienced engineer, and had always been needed more by the Enterprise than by those at home. He believed they were meant to be, and so did she, but being told always made things better.

Even as she looked out of the door and into the night sky, wondering where he was tonight, the source of her decision to leave bounded into the room, tripping over her own feet. Hoshi knelt down, and lifted her three year old back onto her feet, kissing her forehead.

"Letter from daddy?" Toshiko demanded as soon as she was steady again, tugging at her pyjama top as she looked at her mother with a combination of excitement and exhaustion. She'd stayed up late in the hope of a letter arriving, but now the lateness of the hour was winning over, and Hoshi knew it was time to put her to sleep.

"Not yet Tosh, soon." She whispered, as disappointed as her daughter, she'd hoped to get a letter tonight too.

"You'll wake me up if he calls?" the little one yawned, nestling into her mother's neck as they started up the stairs.

"Of course, come on, story time." She read, and only minutes after the little girl was asleep, Hoshi walked downstairs, just in time for the sound of an incoming message on the comm system, and there he was.

"Did I miss bedtime?" He asked, with his usual cocky grin, the grin that tugged at her heart, and she just sat and looked at him for a minute, then almost whispered, too tired to do anything else.

"I miss you."

"I'll be home with you soon, beautiful." He studied her through the screen, and she knew he was telling the truth. He would be home with them, as soon as he could be. Because with his heart on his sleeve, he really loved them both.


End file.
